Flamingo - Art, Craft & Culture - Original Namibian talent at its best
“I feel like a man of man, tracking over the Kalahari. I feel like a man of man. I’m here to stay. I’m here to die.”
Jackson Kaujeua
Jackson Kaujeua. The name sits on your tongue and lingers in your head like the thought of your first love. And it’s not only because it has a nice ring to it, or because the last name is a bit difficult to pronounce. No. Jackson Muningandu Kaujeua is a household name in Namibia and a regular name on many a Namibian tongue.
But the name is just an interesting addition to a very vibrant personality. A musician, author, actor, comedian, narrator, teacher, traditional man, dancer and even catwalk model, Jackson is someone who is difficult to forget once you’ve been graced with his presence.
As he narrates how he came to be one of Namibia’s first commercial musicians, he suddenly starts humming a tune that came to him in a dream. Then he starts waving his hands around, explaining that inspiration can come in many ways. “Many times, I dream about melodies and then they become real. But it is important to me that my music makes a statement that tells a story about something. I would hate to sing something that doesn’t mean anything.”
So what does this multi-talented man sing about? “Basically, I sing about life: life in general; the natural wonders of Namibia; the beauty of its people; social ills. I sing about food, I sing about anything and everything. Sometimes I’m just captivated by a social gathering, or the sound of a bird sitting in a tree, and then a song is born. I can’t run away from it, and it can’t run away from me!” Jackson sings in a number of traditional languages, including his mother tongue, Otjiherero, as well as English, Afrikaans, Oshiwambo and Damara/Nama.
What many of his fans don’t know is that Jackson is not just a popular musician. He’s also the author of Tears over the Deserts, an autobiography that tells the story of a young Jackson until he leaves his motherland and goes into exile. “The awakening of my writing came from being exposed to other countries and cultures from across the world. I thought: if other people around the world can tell their stories, why can’t I?” The title represents many different sides of Jackson’s journey, such as his unfortunate history that resulted in tears of desperation and grief, but also tears of happiness and joy. The Kalahari Desert also plays a significant role, in that Jackson walked through the Kalahari before escaping the apartheid government of the old South West Africa. He ends the book: “I realise that I was not the only one to shed tears over our deserts. I hoped and prayed that the Almighty would grant all of us freedom. But my years in exile, with freedom on my mind, is a different story. We’ll come to that another time.” He is currently working on the much-awaited sequel to Tears over the Deserts.
Reading is one of the milestones of education, and it’s also related to writing and communication, all aspects that help people make it in life. And reading about the life of one of Namibia’s most popular figure-heads is something that inspires many. “The aim is not to sell as many books as possible, but more importantly; if one person learns something from my story, I’ll be happy.”
But who exactly is Jackson Muningandu Kaujeua? For a start, his middle name doesn’t mean ‘fortunate one’ for nothing, as he is a very fortunate man indeed. As one of a few who laid the musical foundations for young, upcoming Namibian artists, Jackson has travelled far and wide to represent Namibia through his music. With influences from musical genres such as jazz, blues, R&B and traditional Herero, Jackson makes what others call ‘true Namibian music’. He adds quickly, “Others might refer to my music as Namibian, but I prefer to call it ‘Jackson Kaujeua’ music!”
Father of five and a farmer in the mountains of Ovitoto, Jackson is ‘a nature man’, who prefers tranquillity, silence and serenity above everything else. And he loves his country. In the 2009 reprinted edition of Tears over the Deserts he poses for pictures in a number of different locations all over Namibia. Giants’ Playground and the Quiver Tree Forest near Keetmanshoop; the remains of his early homestead in Okavikaoza and Ohunuza; Moon Valley; the Etosha National Park; Popa Falls and the Kalahari Desert are among the locations he loves and hopes to inspire others to visit. “Moving around the world took me out of the Herero mentality; it also caused me to appreciate my country with its wide-open spaces and interesting, diverse cultures so much more,” he concludes.
Tears over the Deserts was first published in 1994. Re-published and injected with new blood, it was launched in May 2009. The book now includes more visuals, a new introduction, remarks from sponsors, an overview of Jackson, and also a music DVD of one of his songs, Kalahari (which is really something to be excited about!). The republished edition was made possible by sponsorship from the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and can be bought directly from Jackson’s manager, Kerstin van Wyk (kerstinvanwyk@yahoo.com). Kerstin is also his business partner in Jackson Kaujeua Music Spectacle and Partner cc. Visit his website at www.nammusic.com.na.
